


Eyes Full of Stars

by JasmineTeaLatte



Series: Where the Spirit Meets the Bones [4]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Inspired by Music, The Last Agni Kai (Avatar), Tooth-Rotting Fluff, ZK Drabble December 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:02:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28271349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JasmineTeaLatte/pseuds/JasmineTeaLatte
Summary: It had never been Katara’s intention to even befriend Zuko, much less fall head over heels for him… but she discovered she didn’t mind too much that he wrecked her plans. After the Agni Kai, she finally reaches an understanding with the Fire Prince.Sequel to "this pain won’t be for evermore."~*~*~Written for ZK Drabble December 2020, Day 25: Here With You.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Where the Spirit Meets the Bones [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2071038
Comments: 9
Kudos: 77
Collections: ZK Drabble December 2020





	Eyes Full of Stars

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas, everyone! 🎄 Tis the season for Zutara fluff and scar kisses and smut and cuddles. Originally this was chapter 3 of “this pain won’t be for evermore” but then I would’ve had to up the rating for that fic, so I just made a new one. Enjoy!

_the more that you say, the less I know  
_ _wherever you stray, I follow_

_I'm begging for you to take my hand_   
_wreck my plans, that's my man_

willow – Taylor Swift

* * *

When the Fire Prince asked Katara for a favor critical to ending the war itself, her answer came far too easily, even though it deserved much more consideration on her part.

Regardless, she found herself willingly following Zuko as he led them directly into the heart of the Fire Nation, facing down his mad sister for the throne.

He rewarded Katara for her loyalty at the end of the Agni Kai as he frantically raced to intercept lightning meant for her, burning alive from the inside out and saving her life in the process.

As blue hellfire roared and blazed around her, the waterbender fended off the princess’ attacks just as ferociously until at last she was subdued, brought down by her own hubris, her haughtiness replaced by howls of anguish.

Katara was struck by a curious epiphany while she used her bending to restart the prince’s heart and sent blood flowing through his scorched veins once again.

Despite all odds, she had fallen for her former enemy, who she had once sworn never to trust again - so much so that when his path led him into the inferno, she had followed without a moment’s hesitation.

The realization made her want to laugh out loud at the absurdity of it all, but she had no time to do so, much less dwell on her racing thoughts.

Katara didn’t allow herself to relax until she brought him back from the precipice of death, sobbing in relief as his golden eyes shone up at her, as luminous as the sun itself and full of gratitude and something else she dared not name just yet.

Even then, she reined in her full elation until after she had helped him back to his bedroom to rest, once he awoke a short time later.

~*~*~

She was jolted awake in her seat when she sensed him stirring nearby, her head resting on her folded arms at his bedside.

Her sleepy eyes blinked as she yawned, noting that he seemed much better already than he had earlier. How much time had passed, she wondered. It felt like hours…

“Katara,” he said quietly with complete reverence, staring at her like she was too good to be true.

“Hi,” she mumbled, smiling down at him as she sat up and stretched. “How are you feeling, future Fire Lord?”

He grinned and grunted as he sat up with her help, resting against a stack of pillows.

“I think I’ll live,” he said lightly, coughing in spite of himself. “It’s all thanks to you… if you hadn’t saved me…”

“Which would never have happened if you hadn't saved me first,” she interjected, feeling tears well up in her eyes. “How could you be so reckless, Zuko? You almost died and lost everything. Why would you do that?”

A tear slipped out before she could stop it, and he wiped it away, frowning in concern.

“Because you’re too important to m- to all of us,” he murmured. “I couldn’t just stand by and let you die, Katara, especially not like that.”

 _You’re too important to me_ , he had almost blurted out before he stopped himself, and she was tempted to repeat those words back to him.

Didn’t he realize how much she had grown to care about him?

Didn’t he realize his own importance, not just to the future of the world but to her as well?

She couldn’t hold it in any longer. Choking back a sob, she threw herself into his arms, knocking him backwards into the pillows with a grunt of surprise.

His arms wrapped around her as if by instinct, although his body stilled as she rested her chin in the crook of his neck.

“Katara…” he breathed, almost as if she’d pull away should he say her name any louder.

It was then that she realized her left cheek was pressed flush against his for the first time, soft skin meeting scar tissue. Her heart broke all over again, like when she thought she’d lost him earlier.

He had saved her life and stood by her when no one else would, yet he still feared her rejection, that she would be repulsed by him in the end.

So she made a silent vow to herself to show him just how wrong he was.

She pulled back for a moment and her hand delicately cupped the left side of his face, her thumb brushing carefully along the ridge that divided the soft skin from the rough.

Gold eyes met sapphire, and she noted the fear in his, although he tried to hide it.

“I… Katara, you don’t have to…” he began shakily.

Then his breath caught in his throat as she pressed light kisses all over every inch of his scarred flesh, and her hand buried itself in his hair, tenderly stroking his scalp before eventually settling on the nape of his neck.

“I _want_ to,” she murmured stubbornly, her lips still against his skin. “There’s nowhere I’d rather be than here with you.”

His breathing grew ragged and his shoulders trembled as if he struggled to hold back tears, although she paid it no attention until she finished her ministrations, trailing kisses from his cheek to his ear and back.

Her lips journeyed downwards until they rested just beneath the crimson socket and pressed a final kiss on his closed eyelid.

When she finally pulled away his eyes fluttered open, and they seemed to pierce her very soul.

He still looked somewhat terrified, so she ran her fingers through his locks again in reassurance, brushing them away from his face even as they stubbornly fell back into place.

Zuko gulped nervously and his eyes never left hers, blinking in surprise. 

Suddenly, she wondered if she’d completely misread everything; that must be why he was hesitating…

“I’m… I’m sorry,” she blurted out. “I must have misunderstood, I didn’t mean to overstep or make you feel uncomfortable, I’m so sorry…”

~*~*~

She started to pull away until his hands darted out and caught her wrists, holding her in place. This time, it was her turn for her breath to catch in her throat as he watched her intently, golden eyes narrowed. 

This was familiar territory, she thought as her mind recalled pirates and moonlight and stolen waterbending scrolls from nearly three years ago. 

“Why did you do that?” he asked in a low voice, and she couldn’t quite decipher his tone, which made her even more uneasy. “Was it out of pity or because you thought you owed me for saving your life, or…”

“Zuko, no!” she insisted, shaking her head vehemently. “I did that because I realized some time ago that I care about you… a lot.”

His grip on her wrists tightened momentarily before they loosened, and his hands fell uselessly to his sides as he outright stared at her in shock.

Blood rushed to her cheeks, and she was all too aware of her heart pounding against her ribcage. She took a deep breath and continued, her gaze dropping to floor below in shame.

“I did that because long before today, I discovered that I had feelings for you… but I must have misinterpreted everything because I thought you felt the same…”

There was a pause and the sounds of their breathing seemed deafening before he finally spoke, his voice hoarse.

“I do.”

Katara’s heart skipped a beat and her head whipped upwards in astonishment.

He looked just as stunned as she felt, although a hint of a smile tugged at the corner of his lips all the same.

“Really?” she whispered.

He nodded, his eyes closing briefly as if finally speaking it into existence sapped away all of his remaining strength.

“Why didn’t you say anything before now?” she asked, inching closer.

Zuko smiled then, sadly, and tilted his head to the side as he gazed at her.

“Because I didn’t think you’d ever feel the same, so I didn’t think it would have done any good admitting it out loud.”

“So you were just planning on keeping your feelings to yourself until the off-chance they went away or burned you up from the inside out?”

“Something like that, yeah.”

“You’re telling me that you were willing to suffer in silence, making yourself absolutely _miserable_ , and… _why_ , exactly?”

He blinked a few times, caught off guard by her indignation.

“Well, I didn’t want you to feel obligated or like you had to return my feelings, and I thought you, um, might be scared off…”

Katara let out a sigh of exasperation, although a smile of relief broke out on her face nonetheless. She covered his hands with hers, and after a moment’s hesitation his fingers wrapped around hers.

“If you think I would ever be scared of you, especially like that, you’d be seriously underestimating me, Zuko. Remember what happened last time you did that? You wound up getting your tail handed to you at the North Pole and buried in the snow.”

He scoffed and rolled his eyes at the memory, although he didn’t seem _too_ put out, truth be told.

She gave his palms a gentle squeeze as his thumbs slowly rubbed the backs of her hands. They sat together in a comfortable stillness for some time, sapphire and golden eyes focused intently on the other.

The prince was the first to break the silence.

“So… now what?” he asked, his voice raspier than usual, suddenly overcome by shyness.

Katara smiled and ducked her head, letting out a quiet chuckle.

“I’d really like to hold you in my arms, if that’s okay with you,” she said quietly, feeling a blush rise on her cheeks again.

“I’d like that very much, actually,” he murmured in reply. 

Zuko carefully scooted over to make room for her, and she practically melted into his heat as she settled down beside him under the blankets.

~*~*~

Neither said anything at first, instead syncing their breathing together as she nuzzled her head into his shoulder.

Zuko rested his scarred cheek against her soft hair, his warm arms draped protectively around her.

“How long?” she whispered. “How long have you known?”

He hugged her a bit tighter for just a moment.

“Remember when we hid out in the cave during our field trip, the morning of the sun shower?”

Katara lifted her chin, still unwilling to completely separate her face from touching him, and their eyes met.

“That far back?” she asked, raising her eyebrow in amusement. “Is that why you suddenly looked scared while we sat together watching the rain?”

He nodded sheepishly.

“I was terrified…” he admitted, almost to himself, “and I guess I still am.”

So was she, if she was being totally honest with herself.

“That makes two of us, then,” she breathed.

She picked her head up, and her gaze dropped to his slightly open lips. He noticed and cautiously rested his palm against the back of her head, his fingers burying themselves in her hair.

There was a pause, him giving her the opportunity to back out at the last moment and pull away if she wanted.

So instead she took a deep breath, ducking her head, and her lips shyly met his. Almost as if seeking her permission, his mouth cautiously opened against hers and she followed as they deepened the kiss.

Then she let out a squeal of surprise as she found herself rolled over onto her back moments later, his body partially covering hers. He let out a breathy chuckle, and she giggled as well, lovingly cupping his scarred cheek once more as her eyes glittered up at him, half-hooded in sheer ecstasy.

His lips sought hers out again, and after a minute they ventured further south, eventually seeking out her jaw and neck.

She gasped instinctively as he trailed kisses all along her throat, especially once he brought out his teeth and gently nipped at the soft skin there, leaving small marks that she was in no rush to heal.

Her fingers tangled up in his locks, growing breathless as she encouraged him on with whimpers of approval.

~*~*~

If you had told Katara a year ago that she would develop feelings for the Fire Prince and willingly follow him into the depths of hell itself, she would have thought you were insane and probably frozen you solid for suggesting such a thing.

Yet here she was, mewling shamelessly as he peppered her with kisses and his hands cradled her head and caressed her body, hotter than embers.

Then in a fit of boldness or adrenaline or madness, she guided his palms to rest against her hips.

Zuko’s eyes widened at the suggestion as she timidly rocked upwards several times to meet him, and he let out a groan upon each lingering stroke, exhaling twin streams of hot air above them.

“Are you sure?” he breathed, sounding like he hardly dared himself to hope.

She nodded sincerely, smiling shyly up at him as sapphire met gold, their eyes full of stars.

“I am… if you want to, that is.”

He responded by deepening the kiss even more, cautiously hitching her legs up to wrap around his waist, pressing down and forward, seeking warmth as she hummed in appreciation.

When his fingers ventured down her stomach she wriggled beneath him, letting out a sigh of contentment when they reached her center, pressing down and tracing circles, teasing her with his featherlight touch.

Then he palmed the fabric between her legs, the heel of his hand grinding mercilessly against her, rocking her hips until she was whimpering.

“ _Please_ ,” she begged, completely at his mercy.

For some reason his reaction reminded her of the times they’d sparred together, and how he always smirked whenever he got the upper hand.

While he indeed wore a smirk of triumph now, his eyes watched her intently, and he seemed to be rendered speechless by the sounds of pleasure wrought from her mouth by the movement of his hands.

His eyes only closed once his fingers dipped below the fabric between her thighs and slipped inside her warm folds, already soaked in anticipation.

“ _Fuck_ ,” he gritted out, adding a second finger and sounding just as breathless as she was.

He took a long breath to steady himself as she clenched around him while he stroked within her slowly, his thumb methodically rubbing at her bundle of nerves until she was crying out and finally came undone around him.

She crested the wave with her eyes scrunched shut, phantom stars flashing behind her eyelids, clutching his arm so tightly he’d probably have small bruises afterwards although something told her he wouldn’t mind too much. 

~*~*~

Katara’s eyes fluttered open once she caught her breath, and she wanted to cry again when she saw the look in his eyes, as he gazed down at her like she was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

Zuko smiled and planted kisses along her flushed chest until their lips met once more, drinking from her mouth as if she were an oasis he’d stumbled upon after wandering lost in the desert.

Her hand dipped beneath the waistband of his pants and he groaned against her mouth, eyes squeezed shut in concentration as she caressed him experimentally.

She kissed his jawline timidly – he _had_ almost died earlier and while she didn’t want to push him further than necessary, she needed him almost as badly as he seemed to need her just now.

“Do you think you’d be able to…” she trailed off uncertainly.

She guiltily realized then just how selfish she was being, that she was even asking this of him, considering everything he’d already done for her without expecting anything in return…

… _least_ of all sacrificing his life, his throne, and the fate of his country for her sake. His eyes flew open at her words, the gold in them glimmering like small bands around his pupils.

"Sorry, I mean..." she stammered. "You nearly died earlier, I shouldn't even ask you to-"

"And I might actually die if we _don't_ ," he breathed, pulling away just long enough to untie his pants. “For you, I would do anything."

Her fingertips grazed against the star-shaped scar on his chest as she reached out to help him shrug off his tunic, and she knew in her heart just how much he meant it. 

He let out a shaky breath when she finally, slowly, painstakingly pulled him in, and she shivered despite the heat radiating from his body overhead, which she hungrily absorbed into her own.

Once she had taken him completely, he rested his forehead against hers, his eyes scrunched shut as he tried to hold on.

"You okay?" she asked him softly, gently kissing all around his face.

He nodded and let out a hot breath as his eyes opened, half-hooded as he tenderly trailed his fingers through her hair.

"I've never felt better," he murmured, still looking at her as if she couldn't possibly be real.

Somehow Katara didn't doubt his sincerity as his lips claimed hers once more.

With a nod of encouragement from her, he gently started to move, wrapping her legs around his waist as he pushed even further inside with slow, deep strokes.

She raked her fingertips up and down his back, whispering praises to him while he carefully rocked them back and forth, as steady as water lapping at a boat beating against the shores of a shimmering lake.

All too soon his strength gave out, though, and she found herself settling comfortably on top as he relinquished full control, her hands pinning his wrists down beside his head.

He gazed up at her in pure adoration as she delicately rolled her hips against his, steadily building up a rhythm, back and forth, in and out…

… until he gasped out her name, digging his fingers into her waist and pushing her downwards, desperate for more friction.

His hips shuddered and thrust upwards over and over, and she immediately followed, trembling and crying out as she fell forward and clung to him, riding out wave after wave of euphoria.

~*~*~

They panted as they held each other afterwards, sprawled out and sated beneath the covers, neither wanting to be the first to let go. His head rested against her bare chest and she stroked his hair and shoulders as she slowly caught her breath.

She noted that his eyes were still shut as he drew hot, labored breaths that seemed to sink into her flushed skin, his heart hammering away wildly in his ribs, matching her own.

Eventually his eyes fluttered open, and he smiled sleepily, scooting up to lean over and plant kisses all over her face before pulling her back to his side, wrapping her up in his safe embrace once more.

He took her hand and kissed it tenderly before resting it over his heart, covering it with his own.

Before she drifted off to sleep, an unabashed smile splitting her face in half as she nestled up against him, she had a wild, almost crazy thought that both terrified and comforted her while he pressed tender kisses to her forehead.

_That’s my man. He is mine and I am his._

It had never been Katara’s intention to even befriend him, much less fall head over heels for him… but she discovered she didn’t mind too much that he so thoroughly wrecked those plans, after all.

~*~*~

Sometime later, he listened to her breathing slowly in the dark as moonlight poured in through his bedroom window.

Zuko glanced down at his savior, the girl who safely held his heart within the palms of her freezing hands, as she slept contentedly curled up against him, and he could hardly believe this had actually happened.

He half-expected to wake up and discover her reciprocation of his feelings had been little more than the dreams of a dying man, just like when he laid on the battlefield earlier, his entire body spasming and scorched by blue flames. 

But her puffs of breath washing over his bare chest, as well as the warmth of her body and the sweet, intoxicating smell of _her_ assured him that this was indeed real after all.

Her arm was slung over his chest, carefully avoiding the still-sore lightning scar that he would proudly carry for the rest of his days as a reminder of his sacrifice on her behalf. She moaned softly in her sleep, and he smiled tenderly at the sound.

Zuko recalled that morning of the sun shower once more, how the sudden epiphany of his love for her had knocked him over and pulled him under like a riptide, leaving him stunned and gasping for air.

Back then, he had forced himself to swallow his feelings almost immediately, burying them deep inside lest he dared to hope for more.

Now, it seemed like he could finally let them bloom after all.

So he allowed himself to fall completely, his heart taking root intertwined with hers, steadily growing and flourishing as a willow tree in the springtime

No matter how the storms raged on around them, he knew it might bend but it ultimately would never break. 

She was his and he was hers, now and for evermore.


End file.
